Labor, Greens 'vandals' over tax: Abetz

Doubt has been raised over whether the new Senate will spend any time next week debating the carbon tax repeal after Labor and Greens stalling tactics.

Smoke and other emissions rise from an industrial plant

Labor and the Greens have been accused of preventing the Senate from debating the carbon tax repeal. (AAP)

The federal government has accused Labor and the Greens of being "vandals" by preventing the Senate from debating repeal of the carbon tax.

Bills were scheduled for debate on Monday, the first day of sitting of the new Senate in which the government expects to have the numbers to axe the tax.

But the Senate is awaiting the tabling of a completed report into the bills by its environment and communications committee before going ahead with the debate.

Labor and Greens senators refused to take part in a meeting of the committee on Friday morning, which was expected to vote on tabling the report on Monday.

As soon as the committee tables its report, the new Senate would be able to debate the carbon tax repeal package, government Senate leader Eric Abetz said.

"It is time for Labor and the Greens to simply stop being parliamentary vandals," he told AAP on Friday.

Senator Abetz said the new Senate wanted to get to work on Monday and the government would not deviate from its course.

"We will not allow these petty games which abuse proper parliamentary process from dealing with this job-destroying tax."

The draft legislation program for the Senate, released on Thursday, showed the carbon and mining tax bills as the first order of business after the swearing-in of 12 new senators on Monday.

But the Senate notice paper has removed reference to the legislation for Monday's program, instead scheduling debate on changes to veterinary chemicals registration.

If the program goes ahead unaltered it is expected the tax repeal bills will come forward on July 14, after the tabling of the environment committee report.

In the new Senate, the government holds 33 seats and needs six crossbench votes to pass legislation.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is banking on the three Palmer United Party senators, Ricky Muir from the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party, Family First's Bob Day and Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm to pass the bills.

The government may also be frustrated by a motion being considered to split the package of nine bills.

This could allow the second round of compensatory tax cuts and welfare payments - which the government says are unnecessary if the carbon tax is repealed - to go ahead as originally planned by the Gillard government.

A Senate committee report on the government's emissions reduction fund - which will replace Labor's carbon pricing scheme - will be presented on Monday.


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